Railroad car journal lubricator



May 17, 1960 Filed July 7, 1958 K. A. KLINGLER RAILROAD CAR JOURNALLUBRICATOR '3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mix A. 1444/64 5/2,

y 1960 K. A. KLINGLER 2,937,055

RAILROAD CAR JOURNAL LUBRICATOR Filed July 7, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 6INVEN TOR. K424 4, /////V6Ji@ zw/w May 17, 1960 K. A. KLINGLER 2,937,055

RAILROAD CAR JOURNAL LUBRICATOR Mix 4. xf/Wlif,

ath/4% United States Pat ent RAILROAD CAR JOURNAL LUBRICATOR 1 Karl A.Klingler, Naperville, 111.

Application July 1, 1958, Serial No. 74 ,s s's 13 Claims. 01. soc-90invention relates to improvements in railroad car journal lubricatorsand hasfor one object to prov de a lubricator which can be placed in thejournal box of the I means, not here illustrated since they form no partof usual type of-railroad journal associated with thelus'ual' brass andwedge and which will maintain without the use of pads, packing or thelike, a continuous lubrication of fluid flowing oil on the journal. e

I Another object of the invention is to provide in connection with sucha device 'means to limit axial movement of the journal in order toprotect the oil sealby preventing the journal from slipping out of theseal no matter what kind of lubrication is used.

Lubrication of railroad car axle journal by the use of packing or wasteor pads placed in the box and saturated with oil has long been a sourceof -trouble and dissatis-' faction. There is a great need for meanswhich makes it possible to lubricate the journal by discharging againstthe rotating surfaces liquid oil from an oil bath in the bottom of thebox. When that is done, however, it becomes essential to provide on theinboard end of the journal an oil seal to prevent splashing out andwasteof the freely flowing bath of oil. Therefore, it is, exceedinglyimportant that axial movement of the journal which would interfere withthe effectiveness or perhaps cause damage of the seal be avoided.

My invention comprises in one unit an apparatus which will lubricate thejournal and inhibit axial movement of the journal. In a modification ofmy device, I

use part of the apparatus to inhibit longitudinal movement even thoughconventional pads, wicks'or waste is 1 used.

:In each case, my'apparatus maybe applied to the journal through theusual trap door in the outboard end of the box without any changewhatever in thejournaLthe box or the associated parts, by merely addingto the journal and supporting on the journal myfmechanism.

time to time throughout Other objects will appear from the specificationand claims.

. My invention is illustrated more or less diagrammath' cally in theaccompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinalsection through a side elevation;

.Figure 3 is a side elevation in part section on an enlarged scale ofthe outboard end of the bearing and associatedparts;

Figure 4 is a section similar to Figure 3 showing a modified form.

iLike partsare indicated by like characters throughout the specificationand drawings.

The'journal box 1 is provided at the front with the usual port adaptedto be closed by the pivoted cover 2 through which in the conventionalarrangement oil and waste are inserted to lubricate the journal. At therear end a box is provided with an opening of .much greater diameterthan the axle 3 and encircling that opening is a pocket 4 adapted to befilled with any suitable packing tion of the periphery of the journal,having a plane face to limit by contact with the inner face of thecollar 6 outboard movement -of the lower portion of the drive i thepresent invention.

The journal is integral with the axle at the end there of, is of smallerdiameter than the axle and terminates at its outer end in a collar 6,there being a shoulder 7 at the. inner end of the journal where. thediameter increases from the journal diameter to the axle diameter. Thebrass 8 rotates on the journal. -9 is the wedge interposed between thebrass and the top of the journal box in the usual way. All these-partsare standard and usual in railroad practice.

A light sheet metal spring bracket 10 having a central pocket 11contains a. coil spring 12 which seats at one end in the bottom of thepocket 11 and at the other end on a spring pivot 13. The spring pivot 13rides on the axle insert 14 which is seated in the usual countersinkhole in the endof the axle. A pivot extension 15 ,extends outwardly fromthe spring pivot 13 projecting through an aperture in the bottom of thecup 11.

Carried by'top of the spring bracket 10 is a spacer bracket 16 arcuatein shape as indicated in Figure 2 and "inwardly flanged at 17 to supportthe bronze thrust block 18, which block rides on the journal, beingarcuate to fit it and also engages the inner face of the collar 6.Fingers 19 extend inwardly along the axle below but adjacent to thebrass.

- Carried by the lower portion of the spring bracket 10 is thelubricator drive bracket 20 which extends inwardly to a point'behind thecollar 6. The brackets 16 and 20 slots make it possible to adjust thebrackets radially to fit the journal.

Lubricator'drive bracket supports a guide block 2 4,

preferablyof bronze, arcuate to contact the lower porbracket 20.

The drive bracket 20 is pocketed at to support the 7 ball bearing 26onwhich is rotatably mounted the drive wheel 27 of steel and thelubricating wheel 28 of rub her so that contact of the drive wheel 27with the inner face of the'collar or flange 6 will, as the journalrotates,

. cause rotation of the lubricating Wheel, thelubricating' wheeljbeingimmersed at its lower periphery at least in' Proper spacing isthe'oilbath 29 in the journal box. accomplished by the use of theremovable spacer block 30 to insure that the thrust block 18 and thedrive wheel 27 will both'be in contac't'with the inner face of thecollar 6, being held thereagainst bythe spring 12 to in- 1 sure that thespring'bracket remains parallelism with the end face of-the journal.

, so journal box with parts omitted showing the journal in The thrustblock 18 being interposed between the inner face ofthecollar 6 and theend of the brass 8 limits inward longitudinalmovement of the journal andif as is frequently the case the collar-16 is worn away before thelubricator is installed, all thatis necessary. to' insure contact of thethrust block and the drive .wheel 1 with the innerface of the collar isto use a spacer of greater thickness.

The lubricating wheel is pocketed at 31 with weep holes32 so that evenWhenthe car is at rest, if the level of the oil. bath .is below thewheel fin 33,-oil can still runinto the pocket 31 through weep hole 32so as-to; be available for discharge assoon as the car rotates. The fins33 and 34 about the periphery of the wheel thus one or both beingimmersed in the oil Will always be available to flow oil diagonallyinwardly and upwardly against the under surface of the journal. The axisof rotation of the wheel will be inclined to the journal axis.

In the modified form shown in Figure 4 the lubricating wheel and thedrive wheel are omitted side of the journal a spacer bracket 35 quitesimilar to the drive bracket 20 carries a lower thrust block 36balancing the thrust block 18. In this case, lubrication may be by anyother desired means but the thrust block 18 is still available toinhibit axialniovement of the journal.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

The spring bracket and the drive and spacer brackets associated togetherdefine an adjustable yoke or spider which masks the end of the journal,encloses the journal collar and yieldingly frictionally engage. theinner face of the collar. This yoke or spider is by relationship withthe brass held against rotation and so ispositioned in the journal boxby its contact with the journal and the brass alone. This yoke isaxially adjustable to compensate for variation in the axial thickness ofthe journal collar and furnishes a positive spacing means to inhibit bycontact with the journal brass excessive axle journal displacement.

At the same time or separately the yoke supports and maintains inworking relationship with the journal itself a lubricating device whichconsists of a single rotating member driven in response to the rotationof the jour-,

nal and adapted to throw lubricant from an oil bath in the bottom of thebox upwardly against the journal surface outside the brass to insurelubrication of the journal. The yoke is adjustable radially tocompensate for variation in journal diameters, is adjustable axially tocompensate for variation in journal collar axial dimensions and a singlesize of assembly by the use of a plurality of spacers may be applied toa wide range of journals with respect to initial dimensions ordimensions after wear.

' In order to avoid excess oil flow, it will be understood that afteroil has leaked through the weep hole 32 and has been thrown out, then asthe lubricator rotates at high speed oil will not have time to enter thepocket and the oil thrown out will be that oil adhering to the surfaceof the rubber lubricating wheel. Thus excess oil discharged at highspeed is avoided.

I have illustrated a single lubricating wheel at the lowermost point ofthe journal but if desired, a plurality of such wheels could be usedwithout departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a railroad car axle journal box lubricating assembly, a flangedjournal, a bracket adapted to hang upon and be entirely supported by thejournal, a lubricant distribution wheel and a drive wheel therefor, bothmounted for rotation about a common axis on the bracket, a drivingconnection between the wheels, and means for biasing the drive Wheelinto frictional driving contact with the inboard face of the flange.

2.'In a railroad car axle journal box lubricating assembly, a flangedjournal, a bracket adapted to hang upon and be entirely supported by thejournal, a lubricant distribution wheel and a drive wheel therefor, bothmounted for rotation about a common axis on the bracket, a drivingconnection between the wheels, and means for biasing the .drive wheelinto frictional driving contact with the inboard face of the flange, theaxis of rotation of the wheel being inclined to the axis of rotation ofthe journal.

3. In a railroad car axle journal-box lubricating assembly, a flangedjournal, a bracket adapted to hang upon and be entirely supported by thejournal, a lubricant distribution wheel, a drive wheel and a drivingconnection between them all on the bracket, and means for, biasing thedrive wheel into frictional driving contact with the flange.

4. In a railroad car axle journal box lubricating assembly, a flangedjournal, a bracket adapted to hang and on the lower upon and be entirelysupported by the journal, a lubricant distribution wheel, a drive wheeland a driving connection between them all on the bracket, means forbiasing the drive wheel into frictional driving contact with the flange,there being an oil pocket in the distribution wheel open at the toptoward the journal and a bleeder hole communicating with the pocketthrough the face of the wheel furthest removedfrom the journal.

5. In a railroad car axle journal box lubricating assembly, a flangedjournal, a bracket adapted to hang upon and be entirely supported by thejournal, a lubrimnt distribution wheel, a drive wheel and a drivingconnection between them all on the bracket, means for biasing the drivewheel into frictional driving contact with the flange, there being anoil pocket in the distribution wheel open at the top toward the journaland a bleeder hole communicating with the pocket through the face of thewheel furthest removed from the journal, and a plurality of circularflanges extending outwardly from the periphery of the lubricantdistribution wheel.

6. In a railroad car axle journal box lubricating assembly, a flangedjournal, a bracket adapted to hang. upon and be entirely supported bythe journal, a lubri' cant distribution wheel, a drive wheel and adrivingv connection between them all on the bracket means for bias ingthedrive wheel into frictional driving contact with y the flange, saidmeans including a yoke adapted to mask the outer end of a railroadjournal, and radially opposed and radially adjustable brackets on theyoke overhanging the journal flange, the drive and distributionwheelsbeing rotated on the lower of the two brackets.

7. In a railroad car axle journal box lubricating assembly, a flangedjournal, a bracket adapted to hang upon and be entirely supported by thejournal, a lubricant distribution wheel, a drive wheel and a drivingconnection between them all on the bracket, means for biasing the drivewheel into frictional driving contact with the flange, said meansincluding a yoke adapted to mask the outer end of a railroad journal,radially opposed and radially adjustable brackets on the yokeoverhanging the journal flange, the drive and distribution wheels beingrotated on the lower of the two brackets, and a thrust block carried bythe upper bracket adapted to engage the inner planesurface of thejournal flange. i

8. In a railroad car axle journal box lubricating assem-' bly, a flangedjournal, a bracket adapted to hang upon andbe entirely supported by thejournal, a lubricant distribution wheel, a drive wheel and a drivingconnection between them all on the bracket, means for biasing the drivewheel into frictional driving contact with the flange, said meansincluding a yoke adapted to mask the outer end of a railroad journal,radially opposed and radially adjust-- able brackets on the yokeoverhanging the journal flange, the drive and distribution wheels beingrotated on the lower of the two brackets, and a spring interposedbetween I the end of the journal and the yoke biasing it axially awayfrom the journal end to hold the thrust block and drive wheel in workingcontact with the flange.

9, In a railroad car axle journal box lubricating assemmeans including ayoke adapted to mask the outerend of a railroad journal, radiallyopposed and radially adjustable brackets on the yoke overhanging thejournal flange, the drive and distribution wheels being rotated. on thelower of the two brackets, a thrust block carried by the upper bracketadapted to engage the inner plane surface of the journal flange, and aspring interposed between the end of the journal and the yoke biasing itaxially away from the journal end to hold the thrust block and drivewheel in working contact with the flange.

. T 5 10. In a railroad car axle journal box lubricating assembly, aflanged journal, a bracket adapted to hang upon and be entirelysupported by the journal, a lubricant distribution wheel, a drive wheeland a driving connection journal and having a plane surface adapted toengage the I f brackets, means for radially adjusting the 'bracketstobring the thrust blocks into diametrically opposed contact withthejournal and yielding means for biasing the'yoke axially away from thejournal to hold the thrust blocks in engagement with the inner wall ofthe flange.

12. Means for limiting-axial displacement of a flanged railroad carjournal comprising a yoke adapted to extend across the end of thejournal and having diametrically opposed brackets adapted to extendinwardly acrossthe flange and along the journal, thrust blocks carriedby'the brackets, means for radially adjusting the brackets to bring thethrust blocks into diametrically opposed contact with the journal andyielding means for biasing the yoke axially away from the journal tohold the thrust blocks in V engagement with the inner wall of theflange, and means for maintaining the yoke in position with one of thethrust blocks immediately above the axis of the journal. 7

13. Means for limiting axial displacement of a flanged railroad carjournal comprising a yoke adapted to extend 7 across the end of thejournaland having diametrically op- V posed brackets adapted to extendinwardly across the flange and along the journal, thrust blocks carriedby the brackets, means for radially, adjusting the brackets to bring thethrust blocks into diametrically opposed contact with the journal andyielding means for biasing the yoke axially away from the journal tohold the thrust blocks in engagement with the inner wall of the flange,and means for maintaining the yoke in position with one of the thrustblocks immediately above the 'axis of the journal, said means includingspaced fingers extending inwardly from the yoke on opposite sides of thejournal above the horizontal plane thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,744,797. Klingler May 8, 1956

